Hydrangea plant named ‘JON04’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Hydrangea cultivar named ‘JON04’ is disclosed, characterized by a red mophead inflorescence and dark green foliage strongly flushed greyed-purple. Plants are compact and well-branched, forming dense, attractive plants. The new variety is a Hydrangea, normally produced as an ornamental plant for containers or gardens.

Latin name of the genus and species: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Variety denomination: ‘JON04’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Hydrangea cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Jos de Jong in the Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to identify new Hydrangea varieties with darker foliage. The mutation resulting in the new variety was discovered by the inventor during August of 2012 at a commercial nursery in Boskoop, the Netherlands.

The parent is the unpatented commercial variety Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Black Diamond Baroque Angel’. The inventor grew large quantities of plants of the parent variety and selected for naturally occurring branch mutations with darker foliage and different flower colors.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘JON04’ by softwood cuttings was first performed during the Summer of 2012 at a commercial greenhouse in Boskoop, the Netherlands. Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in two successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘JON04’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘JON04’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘JON04’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea cultivar:

-   -   1. Mop-head inflorescence.     -   2. Compact plant form.     -   3. Well branched growth habit.     -   4. Red colored inflorescence.     -   5. Dark green foliage prominently flushed greyed purple.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘JON04’ are similar to plants of the parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘JON04’ differ in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety has darker foliage than the parent variety,         with more purple flushing.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘JON04’ can be compared to the commercial variety Hydrangea ‘Jon03’, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/732,653, filed concurrently. These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, ‘JON04’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. ‘Jon04’ has red flowers, whereas flowers of ‘Jon03’ are mauve         pink.

‘JON04’ can be compared to the commercial variety Hydrangea ‘Jon02’, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/732,651, filed concurrently. These varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, ‘JON02’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. ‘Jon04’ has red flowers, ‘Jon02’ has deep vibrant pink         flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color a typical flowering plant of ‘JON04’ grown in a greenhouse in the Netherlands. Age of the plant photographed is approximately 1.5 years. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The 2007 Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘JON04’ plants grown in a greenhouse, in the Netherlands. The growing temperature ranged from approximately 18° C. to 27° C. daytime and 5° to 10° C. at night. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types. Measurements were taken during July of 2017.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘JON04’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate roots: Approximately 16 to 28 days at approximately     22 to 27° C. -   Root description: Thick and fine, freely root branching and dense,     fibrous. White to tan, not accurately measured with The R.H.S.     Chart. -   Propagation method: Softwood cuttings.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: About 8 months. -   Pot size: 1 gallon. -   Growth habit: Flowering perennial shrub. Upright, non-climbing. -   Overall plant shape: Round. -   Height: About 30 to 32 cm. -   Plant spread: About 33 to 41 cm. -   Growth rate: Moderate. -   Plant vigor: Moderate. -   Branching characteristics: Opposite, basal branches, some pinching     required. Non-fasciated. -   Length of lateral branches/stems: Approximately 15 to 30 cm on an 8     month old plant. -   Number of lateral branches: Varies, depending upon pinching. On     average 8 on an 8 month old plant. -   Diameter of lateral branches: 6 mm. -   Lateral branch shape and appearance: Round. -   Lateral branch strength: Good. -   Internode length: Average 5 to 7 cm. -   Branch/stem color: Immature: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144C, faint     flushing at nodes near Greyed-Purple N186A. Mature: Near RHS Green     139A flushed Greyed-Purple N186A. -   Branch/stem texture: Glabrous, lenticels not observed. -   Branch angle: 0 to about 30°. -   Branch pubescence: No.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Average length.—10 to 15 cm.         -   Average width.—7 to 8 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Ovate, without lobes.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Rounded to broad tapered.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture and appearance of top surface.—Leathery, slightly             glossy.         -   Texture and appearance of bottom surface.—Matte, reticulate             veins.         -   Color.—Solid, non-variegated. Young foliage upper side: Near             RHS Green 139A flushed Greyed-Purple N186B. Young foliage             under side: Near RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage upper side:             Near RHS Greyed-Green N189A, flushed Greyed-Purple N186B.             Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 137A.         -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: Near RHS             Yellow-Green 144C. Venation color under side: Near             Yellow-green 145A. -   Petiole:     -   -   Average length.—2.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—7 mm.         -   Color.—Upper side: Near RHS Yellow-green 145A. Under side:             Near RHS Yellow-green 145B.         -   Texture upper side.—Glossy, glabrous.         -   Texture under side.—Glossy, glabrous.

FLOWER

-   Bloom period:     -   -   Natural season.—June to October in the Northern hemisphere. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Arrangement.—Terminal corymb.         -   Commercial type.—Mophead.         -   Infloresence shape.—Half-sphere.         -   Panicle height.—8 to 12 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—9 to 15 cm.         -   Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.—Fertile flowers not             observed to date. Sterile Flowers: 18 to 24 average range.         -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Sterile flower:     -   -   Bud shape.—Globular.         -   Bud length.—5.0 mm.         -   Bud diameter.—5.0 mm.         -   Bud color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N144B flushed Red 46C.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright and outward.         -   Flower shape.—Cruciform if 4 sepals, slightly overlapping             whorl if 5 sepals.         -   Flower diameter.—Average range 22 to 35 mm.         -   Flower depth.—28 mm.         -   Aspect.—Upwardly cupped. -   Sterile flower sepals:     -   -   Sepal arrangement.—Cruciform if 4 sepals, slightly             overlapping whorl if 5 sepals.         -   Sepal number.—4 or 5.         -   Length of sepal.—Approximately 1.8 to 2.5 cm.         -   Width of sepal.—Approximately 1.3 cm.         -   Angel of attachment/aspect.—Sepals angled upward             approximately 25° to 45° from point of attachment. Sepals             upwardly cupped.         -   Apex.—Broad Acute.         -   Shape of sepal.—Deltate.         -   Sepal margin.—Shallow crenate.         -   Sepal base.—Obtuse.         -   Sepal texture.—Smooth, upper and under sides.         -   Color.—Upper surface at first opening: Near RHS Red 46C,             base Yellow-White 158D. Upper surface at maturity: Near RHS             Red 45D. Under surface at first opening: Near RHS Red 46C.             Under surface at maturity: Near RHS Red 45C. Color when             fading: Upper and lower surfaces: Near RHS Red 46D. -   Sterile flower petal: Not observed. -   Sterile flower pedicel:     -   -   Length.—10 to 14 mm.         -   Diameter.—1 mm.         -   Angle.—Upright and outward.         -   Strength.—Flexible, not prone to breakage.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 147A. -   Fertile flower: Not observed to date.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Sterile flower: All reproductive parts irregular and malformed,     reduced to less than 1 mm or not present.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     diseases or pests has been observed in this variety. -   Cold tolerance: −24° C. to 38° C. -   Fruit/seed production: Not observed to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘JON04’ as herein illustrated and described. 